My before & after photos from the 2014 Gold’s Gym Challenge. So Yeah, I’m a believer in this challenge.
Once again I’ve sighed up for the 2018 Gold’s Challenge. This is my 3rd time and I do love challenges. In my effort to loose my post surgery pounds, I’m off to a slow start. I feel I’ve finally righted my diet (no more eating out and no alcohol).
When it comes to losing inches, I need to jump start my exercise routine. Right now I’m more turtle than hare.
To be fair, I wanted to see the results of my 3D body scan before coming up with a plan of attack. While I want to do full body workouts, there is a part of me that wants to target my abs and thighs.
My doctor told me it would take a year for my abs to fully recover from surgery. He wasn’t kidding. It’s been a year and a half and while my abs are stronger, there’s still a lot of exercises I either can’t do (like that damn Roman chair leg raise) or am limited in how many I can do (I’m looking at you sit ups). Read More
Second fight of the day, the first happening at 5:17 in the morning. But the fighting got me out of bed and snapped me out of a nearly year long funk of rolling with the punches. Now everyday needs purpose.
The last year I’ve really gone off the rails when it comes to my health and weight loss. Going out to each way too often. Indulging in too much wine. Not pushing myself self on the fitness front. Wasting time online. Going to bed late and getting up late.
Let’s face it, my motivation took a nose dive. Ugh!
Time to get my mojo back.
So last night, before bed, I decided to start my mornings with purpose. This is all part of my Living On Purpose resolution. That meant waking up early and not lying in bed for an hour each morning. Time for some bright eyed and bushy tail action!
But the desire to wake up at the crack of noon is strong with me…and I “forgot” to set my alarm clock.
Cue Spider, my evil overlord cat. At precisely 5:17 a.m. Spider started hissing, snarling and growling very loudly. He chose this time to start a fight with Peekabu, the sleeping Old English sheep dog. Read More
Finally saw From Fat To Finish Line and I loved it. Whether if you are a runner or not, this moving will inspire you.
Last night the hubby and I settled in the watch a film I’ve been waiting to see for nearly a year – From Fat to Finish Line. The documentary tells the story of 12 people who’ve collectively lost 1,200 pounds and team up to run a 200-mile relay race from Miami to Key West. You learn of their weight loss highs, lows and how running gave them focus.
The film shines the spotlight on each runner telling about struggling with weight loss. All experienced the doubts from family, friends and themselves. I could relate to everyone on the team. Their struggles and successes were exactly like mine.
Many on the team started running as a way to shed pounds. But what clearly shows is the shear joy many on the team feel from doing what humans are physically designed to do – run.
Running also became their compass: a way to keep moving forward to their true north, no matter what life tossed their way. As the Rick, the team captain says, when asked how he felt after running his first mile: “I feel like I can do anything.”
That’s what this film does best. Even if running isn’t your thing, this movie will inspire you to keep moving forward.
It really is a wonderful film and I suggest you bump it to the top of you Netflix queue.
April just started and I’ve already read 2 books for the month! In Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art and Turning Pro you’ll find lots of motivational gems to help you with not just health, but with anything you want to achieve.
“The amateur tweets. The pro works.”
— Steven Pressfield, Turning Pro
When visiting low carb high fat forums online, many of the most vocal commenters for LCHF eating think it’s a simple matter of eating the right foods. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen on forums, Facebook pages, Twitter or other social media feeds where low carbers talk about how easy it is to eat low carb and have the pounds melt away.
That simply isn’t true for everyone.
You have to put in the work. Eating low carb, high fat does melt away the pounds, but only if you view it as a lifestyle and not a diet. Meaning you:
Eat when hungry and only when hungry
Give up the silly idea of “cheat days or cheat meals”
Can’t go back to eating like you use to once you reach your goals
Can still eat too much (protein, carbs, nuts, dairy and even fat)
Understand that those fattening temptations (candy, cookies, ice cream, donuts, chips) don’t go away because you are eating LCHF
That’s why I always say that weight loss is 100% eating the right foods and 95% mental. We face hundreds of food choices everyday. That’s why it’s important to build good habits. Read More
My weight is fluctuating between the same 4 pound window. I know I need a new goal to focus on, but I’m in the grip of laziness and it’s clutches are mighty.
Since March, my weight’s bounced between 185 and 189 pounds (I weighed in at 188 this morning). Clearly I’m not in a plateau. My damage is self-inflicted and my frustration with myself is growing. I know what I’m doing wrong – carb creep, drinking wine, and occasionally tracking my food.
Yet course correction is proving difficult now. But why?
Overcoming Laziness
Bad habits never die. They just rear their ugly heads at your weakest point. One of my bad habits I’m fighting now is laziness. There are just times where I don’t want to do a dang thing. No walking. No food prep. No weight training. No nothing. Just an overwhelming urge to veg out.
Right now I’d rather play Plants vs. Zombies 2 on my iPad than write about my laziness.
Doing nothing seems like the right choice. I know it’s not right but it feels so good.
Time For A Reset…And This Time I Mean It!
When I reached my goal of being healthy, I told myself I wanted to lose about 25-30 more pounds. Just saying I want to lose more weight never worked for me in the past and it ain’t working now.
My goal was accomplished and I never re-evaluated what to shoot for next.
Yet, when I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago, I still didn’t bother with formulating a new goal. My growing frustration got the best of me. It was just easier to do nothing (literally) for weeks than to actually think about my future.
Today I’m setting aside time to come up with a new goal. A goal that is all mine and fits the direction I want to take with my life. That’s the only way I’ll feel motivated to do the hard work.
So I’m dressed in my fall sweats and got on my walking shoes on. Ready to take my first walk in weeks, I always think better when I’m moving.
Besides, what better way to kick laziness’ ass than walking a few miles?
Are you discouraged with your current weight loss efforts? Are you thinking about giving up because the scale isn’t moving? Have you beaten yourself up when you eat the wrong thing? Do you feel defeated after doing everything right but only lose less than half a pound in a week? If you’re frustrated with your weight loss journey, this post is for you.
I visit a lot of online weight loss forums and often I read complains about weight stalls, gains or small losses. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been there. If I had to name a reason why my weight loss journey is successful this time around, I’d say I don’t give in to my frustrations. I learn from them and make adjustments.
Meet Mark Webb (check out the video before reading further).
How many of us would sign up to run a marathon the day after losing a leg? Read More
Bad habits started creeping back into my life. Time for some tried and true motivational tools.
I overdid it during the Super Bowl (surprisingly, not with alcohol) and didn’t track my food for 4 of the last 5 days. End result? I’m up about 3 pounds. Thankfully I’m still in Onederland, but hanging on by a thread.
I’m not happy – I do know better – but I didn’t beat myself up. Instead, I took stock of where I was at mentally. I’m working out like crazy, but on the food front I’ve been very lax.
I’ve signed up for a few 5Ks and other cool fitness events (more on that tomorrow). I’m so excited about those, I can’t wait to get to the gym or put on my running shoes. Yet when it comes to eating right, I don’t feel the same motivation.
Constant vigilance went out the window sometime in mid-January.
Remember the reward system I put in place last month? I ended up earning 75 Dots and 25 Blots (yikes) for a grand total of 50 Dots for January. Not only did I miss out on that Pandora charm I had my eye on, a lot of bad food behaviors crept back into my life. UGH!
Clearly, my head’s not in the game. I can string together a few great days food-wise, but then it all goes to hell.
When Bad Habits Bite You On The Butt
A few weeks ago my hubby suggested I find some motivational podcasts to push me out of my slump. After all, that’s what he uses for fighting bouts of writer’s block.
(Shameless Plug Alert: The hubby’s second book, Fool’s Ride is now available. Shameless plug over. Now back to regular scheduled blogging.)
I wasn’t really sure if that would help me. Of course, I listen to podcasts and audio books during my walks and workouts. Some podcasts and books I’m hooked on, and can’t wait to get back to the gym just so I can listen to what happens next.
Some people shout “Eureka” in the bathtub. I yell “D’oh” when i discover big things about myself.
Yet for some reason, I procrastinated at my husband’s suggestion. Despite my success in using these wonderful audio tools for workouts, I had a lot of self-doubts on the eating front. Then I experienced a D’oh moment worthy of Homer J. Simpson.
You see, during my weight loss journey, I turned to wellness blogs and podcasts to help me stay focused. HeckI was even interviewed for the Lifestyle Accountability Show because the hosts thought my story would motivate others.
But for the last 5 months, I completely stopped turning to them for help. Why? I told myself I was “too busy” and “something had to give.”
Now for that D’oh moment: That logic is how I ballooned to 325 lbs. at my former job. I was just too busy to eat healthy. Work was too important. My health paid a big price for that reasoning. Yet here I am doing the same thing over again. The price this time: stalled weight loss.
Saturday’s weigh-in was the jump-start I needed. Time to check out iTunes and revisit those inspiration blogs and podcasts.
I’m up a few pounds this week. Time to kick things into high gear as I carry out my Dots & Blots rewards to motivate me for the last 60 lbs.
While I finished 2014 strong, I didn’t reach my goal of weighing 195 lbs. by December 31st. Sadly, as of today I’m actually up a few pounds.
The good news is I’m still in Onederland, but not by much. Thankfully the holidays are over. That means no more treats. No more parties. Just time to get serious about losing my last 60 lbs.
The hardest thing on my activity list: Squeezing in my 5K training and daily 5+ mile walks.
Burrr…its sooooo cold out! Thankfully we get a little relief next week as the weather’s suppose to reach the upper 30s and lower 40s. Practically balmy! If it holds, then I can get my 3 runs and 6 walks in. Otherwise it’s off to the treadmill with me — something I loath.
I’m aiming to earn 50 dots next week. If I’m successful, I’ll be half way to getting my dumbbell charm.
Will I earn Dots or Blots next week? Here’s my new reward system to help me make healthier choices and keep me motivated on the march to my goal weight. Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.
All weight loss plans have a honeymoon phase — fast weight loss, loose-fitting clothes, compliments, tons of energy, feeling great about ones’ self. The honeymoon phase can last days to months. The constant barrage of wonderful feedback keeps you going.
But nearly 3 years into my healthy lifestyle, the honeymoon is long over. The steady stream of positive feedback is down to a trickle. And my weight loss battle has become (at times) one long, tiring, slog. Read More
I was feeling pretty down about my weight loss this morning. It was time for some perspective. Fat jeans to the rescue…again!
I woke up this morning feeling pretty frustrated that I can’t seem to shake these last 5 lbs. before reaching Onderland; I needed something to give me that little extra push. So I got the urge to pull out a very special pair of jeans – my fat jeans.
This is what I wore when I tipped the scales at 325 lbs (wow…was I really that big!?!). Once in a while I pull them out of a drawer just to remind myself how far I’ve come. I compared them with what I wear now.
Well this put a big smile on my face and was just what I needed this morning.
I’ve gone from a size 28 (and those size 28 jeans fit pretty tight back in the day) to wearing a size 14.
I’m feeling pretty awesome now! Time for my spin class.
